Healthy Recipes Ingredients Healthy Grain Recipes Healthy Oat Recipes Cranberry-Orange Energy Balls 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews These orange-cranberry energy balls are the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and nutty flavors, with a refreshing hint of citrus. These bite-size snacks are perfect for on the go, pre- or post-workout fuel or a healthy pick-me-up any time of day. We love the subtle flavor of almond butter, but any nut butter will work well here. By Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein fell in love with baking at the age of 6, and has continued to grow her passion through culinary school and working in bakeries. For more than 10 years, she worked at multiple well-known restaurants and bakeries in the Orlando, Florida, area, preparing delicious scratch-made desserts and assisting with dinner events, before becoming a test kitchen assistant at Dotdash Meredith. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 3, 2024 Tested by Liv Dansky Tested by Liv Dansky Liv Dansky has worked with Dotdash Meredith since 2019 as a recipe tester and developer and, more recently, as a writer for the commerce team. Her work can be found across brands like Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Eating Well, and Serious Eats. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 8 Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Weight Loss Dairy-Free Soy-Free High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Healthy Cholesterol Vegetarian Egg-Free Mediterranean Diet Jump to recipe These Cranberry-Orange Energy Balls are sure to be one of your favorite fall snacks. Sweet dates and honey balance out the tartness of the dried cranberries, while coconut contributes a subtle tropical feel. Fiber-rich oats provide energy and wholesomeness, and almond butter helps bring all the ingredients together while also adding protein. Orange juice and zest spike these balls with a citrusy finish. Keep reading for expert tips, including how to ensure uniformly sized balls. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! Medjool dates are a little softer and chewier than Deglet Noor dates, so you don’t have to soften them in hot water before using them in this recipe. Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop for more uniform energy balls.If the energy balls are warming up and getting sticky while you’re rolling them, you can use gloves, slightly wet hands or lightly coat your hands with cooking spray. You can also try refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours and then forming the balls.Drizzle a little white chocolate over the top of the energy balls for some extra flair. Nutrition Notes The orange, cranberry and dates in these energy balls add antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are necessary for overall good health. Known for their vitamin C, oranges support immune and skin health. And while cranberries in their whole state contain vitamin C, they lose most of it during the drying process. With that said, dried cranberries still provide gut-friendly fiber. Dates come in with more fiber and nutrients that benefit heart health. Heart-healthy oats provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, which slows down digestion and provides a steady supply of energy. Oats are known for their ability to help lower cholesterol. They also provide plant-based iron, which the vitamin C in the orange juice and zest will help your body absorb. The almond butter in this recipe not only acts as a binder to hold the ingredients together but it also adds plant protein, healthy fats, iron, fiber and vitamin E. The vitamin E in almond butter acts as an antioxidant, combating oxidative damage to your cells and protecting the heart. Coconut is one of those foods that has been controversial over the years. This is mostly due to its saturated fat content. According to the USDA, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened shredded coconut has 10 grams of fat, 9 of which are saturated fat. However, just as scientists are questioning whether the saturated fat in dairy and eggs are as harmful as the saturated fat in highly processed foods, they’re also raising the question with coconut. Coconut adds some fiber, plant protein and antioxidants to these energy balls. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 8 dates) ⅓ cup unsweetened dried cranberries ¼ cup smooth natural almond butter ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 2 tablespoons honey 1⅓ cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 2 tablespoons orange juice ½ teaspoon salt Directions Place 1 cup dates, ⅓ cup cranberries, ¼ cup each almond butter and coconut and 2 tablespoons honey in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, about 8 (1-second) pulses. Add 1⅓ cups oats, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons orange juice and ½ teaspoon salt; process until the mixture is crumbly but holds its shape when squeezed, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Using a 1-tablespoon measure, roll the date mixture into balls; place on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel To make ahead Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Nutrition Information Serving Size: 2 ballsCalories 186, Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 31g, Total Sugars 18g, Added Sugars 4g, Protein 4g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 165mg, Potassium 273mg Frequently Asked Questions Can I swap out the dried cranberries for another dried fruit? Of course. You can use dried blueberries and lemon juice with or without zest for another flavor profile. Do energy balls need to be refrigerated? Yes, these energy balls are best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Store them for up to 1 week. Can I use sweetened coconut? Our recipe calls for unsweetened shredded coconut to reduce added sugar and so it’s not too sweet, but you can use sweetened coconut if you wish. EatingWell.com, September 2024 Rate It Print Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Sources EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. U.S Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Unsweetened shredded coconut, unsweetened.